God commands and invites believers in Jesus Christ to pray.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not onto temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen
Our Father who art in heaven.
How is Gods name kept holy?… Gods name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to God’s Word profanes the name of God among us. Protect us from this, heavenly Father!
The Second Petition
Thy kingdom come
What does this mean?… The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may come to us also.
How does God’s kingdom come?… God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.
The Third Petition
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
What does this mean?… The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.
How is Gods will done?…Gods will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name, or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens
and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die.
This is His good and gracious will.
The Forth Petition
Give us this day our daily bread.
What does this mean?… God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayer, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
What is meant by daily bread?… Daily bread includes everything that has to do with the daily support and needs of our body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, faithful neighbors, and the like.
The Fifth Petition
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive as we forgive those who trespass against us.
What does this mean?… We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look at our sins, or deny our prayer because of them. We are neither worthy
of these things for which we pray, nor have we deserved them, but we ask that He would give them all to us by grace, for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment. So we too will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us.
The Sixth Petition
And lead us not into temptation.
What does this mean?… God tempts no one. We pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice. Although we are attached by these things, we pray that we may finily overcome them and win the victory.
The Seventh Petition
But deliver us from evil.
What does this mean?… We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in heaven would rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finaly, when our last hour has come, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven.
The Conclusion
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen
What does this mean?… This means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us. Amen, amen means “ yes, yes, it shall be so,”
